1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of aircraft and more particularly to the design of an aerodynamic structure which when incorporated in the design of a supersonic aircraft increases the lift/drag ratio.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Aircraft of generally conventional design and shape obtain lift from the airflow over the wing surface thereof. The amount of lift depends upon the plan form and contour of the surface, the speed of the aircraft, and its angle of attack. Drag in a conventional design is, simply stated, a resistive force exerted in a direction opposite to the direction of motion and parallel to the relative air stream.
Aircraft designed for effective flight at supersonic speeds depend traditionally on maintaining subsonic-type air flow past the wings and on minimizing wave drag over the fuselage thereof. This approach results in aircraft configurations with very thin and highly swept wings and with extremely slender fuselages. The resultant structure places heavy penalties on weight, and the volume of the aircraft is severely restricted due to its being the prime generator of wave drag.
The present invention utilizes shock wave cancellation to achieve a substantial reduction in wave drag. At the same time, the pressure fields generated by the volume of the system provide lift in a more efficient way than prior art methods of providing lift by surface incidence.
Prior to the present invention, there was no aerodynamic shock wave cancellation structure which could be integrated into the design of a supersonic aircraft to improve the lift/drag ratio and thereby significantly increase the operational capabilities of the aircraft at design Mach Numbers.